Shloka 24

गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्

The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī

Devanagari script

एवं सम्भाषमाणौ तावन्योन्यं भ्रातरावुभौ।।।।वसुन्धरायां पतितं पुष्पमार्गमपश्यताम्।

Transliteration

evaṃ sambhāṣamāṇau tāv anyonyaṃ bhrātarāv ubhau | vasundharāyāṃ patitaṃ puṣpamārgam apaśyatām ||

Translation

เมื่อสองพี่น้องสนทนากันไปมา ก็ได้เห็นบนพื้นพิภพเป็นรอยทางแห่งดอกไม้ที่ร่วงหล่น

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in that way
• एवम्: प्रकार (manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• सम्भाषमाणौ: conversing
• सम्भाषमाणौ: कर्ता (agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भाष् (धातु) → सम्भाषमाण (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; agreeing with तौ भ्रातरौ

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• अन्योन्यम्: with each other, mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: सम्बन्ध/परस्पर (reciprocal relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्य + अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् परस्परार्थे अव्ययप्रयोगः; द्वन्द्व-आधारः (अन्य+अन्य)

• भ्रातरौ: two brothers
• भ्रातरौ: कर्ता (subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; भ्रातरौ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वसुन्धरायाम्: on the ground, on the earth
• वसुन्धरायाम्: अधिकरण (location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पतितम्: fallen, lying (down)
• पतितम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पुष्पमार्गम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पुष्पमार्गम्: a flower-strewn path
• पुष्पमार्गम्: कर्म (object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुष्पाणां मार्गः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अपश्यताम्: (they) saw
• अपश्यताम्: क्रिया (action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Context

Talking with each other, the two brothers took the path on earth strewn with flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• puṣpa (flowers)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is the disciplined pursuit of truth: they remain alert to evidence and follow signs patiently, turning observation into purposeful action.

What is the narrative situation?

While searching, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa discover a trail of flowers on the ground—an important clue connected to Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentiveness and perseverance in adversity.